Affirmative Words
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Liu Pin was appointed the magistrate of a backward region in Sichuan in the Tang dynasty. The local residents were mostly poor and uneducated. One day the son of a junior officer came to visit and showed him some essays he had written. Liu Pin complimented the man on his work and often honorably mentioned him in public.
His aides were bewildered. They did not understand why Liu Pin praised him so much, for the man’s essays were mediocre at best.
“Here is a young man who came from an illiterate family,” Liu Pin explained, “but is devoted to learning. He studied very hard on his own. I must not discourage him. Because of my praise, his peers will be impressed and follow his example. He himself will surely work even harder. If a lot of people do the same, life in this region will improve. And there will be fewer law-breakers. Why should I be stingy with my praise?”
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Heirs to Greatness
Wise Proverbs
- The child is worth instructing. (It is used to describe promising young men.)
- 孺子可教。（形容有培养前途的青年人。）
- Reading enriches the mind.
- 开卷有益。
- Confidence in yourself is the first step on the road to success.
- 自信是走向成功的第一步。
Editor Says:
Don’t you agree that Liu Pin was rather progressive in his thinking? His praise would give the young man confidence about himself, and such confidence might well spur him on to genuine success.